


Love me, Beat Me

by TimidIcicle



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aftercare, Bondage, Bottom Keith (Voltron), Degradation, Dom/sub, Flogging, M/M, No Beta We Die Like Lotor, Non-Sexual Bondage, Punishment, Spanking, Top Shiro (Voltron), all the feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 13:40:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21254264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimidIcicle/pseuds/TimidIcicle
Summary: Shiro rose and stepped away from Keith’s trembling form. Stepping purposefully toward the door, and snapping his metal fingers so the sound rung out loud and clear.“Come pet”Shiro let his voice harden as if he were upset.Keith’s head snapping up at the sudden change of tone.Snapping his fingers again and pointing out the door, Shiro tapped his foot impatiently.Keith rapidly untangled himself and crawled toward Shiro’s feet.





	Love me, Beat Me

Keith had been steadily withdrawing for over a week. Shiro couldn’t say he was entirely surprised. The last meeting they’d had for the coalition had ended poorly as the Anjorians had rejected any alliance with the new Galra representatives. Keith had been running that particular set of meetings as he was the most Senior Blade on the Atlas. 

Shiro watched as Keith wandered into their shared apartment and headed immediately for their bedroom. Since said meetings, Keith had stopped wearing his blade uniform and had returned to his red garrison jacket. Shiro waited for Keith to return to the living room so that they could relax for a bit before it was time for dinner, but Keith never returned.

Shiro requested ATLAS send some food for them as they would probably not be leaving in time to make the public dinner hours as he made his way to the bedroom. 

Knocking before entering to avoid disturbing his husband, Shiro waited as there was no response from inside. Sighing he keyed the door open and strode inside. 

The room was dark save for the light from the hall behind Shiro. Scanning the room Shiro saw Keith lying on a small blanket in the corner of the room, far from the door. Only clad in boxers and his cuffs. Keith seemed to shrivel as the light hit him. Shiro watched as Keith curled impossibly tight into himself as if he could hide if only he were small enough. 

“Keith”  
Shiro kept his voice soft, and felt a pang of guilt when he watched Keith flinch at the sound. 

Shiro eased closer, keeping his hands visible in case Keith turned to look. Feeling his chest squeeze when Keith shuffled closer to the corner and tried to curl deeper into himself, muscles straining at the effort. 

Closing the gap and placing his hands along Keith’s shoulders, ignoring as his husband jerked and attempted to shuffle further into the corner and himself.  
“Keith, sweetheart, what’s wrong? What can I do?” 

Shiro knew this game already. Knew how hard it was for Keith to ask for what he needed. They’d been getting so good as of late. Asking for what they had needed without shame. Shiro guessed it was about time for something to go wrong. Progress certainly wasn’t linear, and they’d been cruising awfully smoothly for quite some time. Maybe it was the universe keeping in balance he thought ruefully. 

He waited as Keith’s breathing turned ragged and began a hiccuping descent into quiet sobs. Shiro didn’t push yet, he knew Keith would come around in time. It was something they both had now. He rubbed at Keith’s back as his husband sobbed and keened quietly into the blanket. 

“Am I going to be bad forever?” 

The question caught Shiro by surprise, indigo purple eyes suddenly gazing endlessly into his own. 

“You’re not bad Keith, you’ve never been bad” 

The Galaxy of Keith’s eyes turned away and closed. Hidden once again. Small chirrups sounding off between sniffles. Shiro knew what those meant, everything clicking into place as the body beside him began to curl away from him. 

Ah. Someone at a meeting had probably suggested something about Galra being bad, Keith being bad. 

Shiro had known that the past month had been rough for that topic especially. Keith had been working through it with his therapist. The long distant wounds from foster care could now be dealt with since they had ended the war. Cruel that it all had to come together now, and was brutally pounded home by the Anjorians. 

Shiro felt himself tense at the thought. Every time they seemed to move forward, someone or something came to knock them down. Logically he knew they’d end up stronger for this, but that didn’t escape from the fact that the universe didn’t make it easy on them at all. No matter how much good they did, how many planets they’d saved, how many universes. Shiro felt himself breathe deep. Automatically calming himself as if on autopilot (thank god for Allura’s diplomatic training) knowing the problem gave him options to solve it. 

Except Keith had already chosen the method he wanted this solved with. The Cuffs really gave Shiro no choice for what he had to do. Really he was grateful. Sometimes working out a solution for both of them was difficult. He’d have to thank Keith later for solving this himself, and praise him on his ability to problem solve a diplomatic solution. Along with every other way his precious husband deserved to be praised. 

Shiro rose and stepped away from Keith’s trembling form. Stepping purposefully toward the door, and snapping his metal fingers so the sound rung out loud and clear. 

“Come pet”  
Shiro let his voice harden as if he were upset.  
Keith’s head snapping up at the sudden change of tone. 

Snapping his fingers again and pointing out the door, Shiro tapped his foot impatiently. 

Keith rapidly untangled himself and crawled toward Shiro’s feet. Shuffling out the door and down the hall toward the second bedroom. 

ATLAS had built their apartments as though they’d be sleeping apart, however the two had quickly converted the room into a sort of play room. They’d never had need to sleep apart no matter what the garrison officials thought originally, and had happily told ATLAS how they’d like the room and what they’d like inside. All requests easily handled by the conscious ship within minutes. Together they’d dubbed it the “Therapy room” as a joke after Lance had come wandering in unannounced and caught them in a scene. Shiro and Keith had laughed that he was interrupting “Therapy” and that the “doctor” was expensive. The rule had been put in place that if the “Therapy” room was closed, Keith and Shiro were busy and not to be disturbed. 

Shiro watched as Keith slunk inside and picked his way over to the centre of the room, far away from any toys or structures. Shiro kept close to the door, quietly assessing Keith as he knelt, palms up and head bowed. 

Something Physical, Shiro thought. Something to ground him, and return him to me. 

“What do you need pet?” 

Once again Keith flinched at the icy tone, swallowing even as tears dripped slowly down his face. 

“I’ve been bad Sir. I-.. “  
Shiro watched as Keith shuddered and seemed again to curl in on himself.  
“I need to be punished.” 

Shiro blinked slowly. Drinking in Keith’s shivering form. He knew how much it probably hurt to admit that alone. His heart swelled with pride, at how far Keith had come, and then had to put it aside and let the mask take over. 

“I see, and how exactly should you be punished?” 

Keith swallowed again. His whole form shuddering again as more sobs slipped through clenched teeth. Shiro waited patiently. Tapping his foot for show and examined the nails on his flesh hand in disinterest as he noticed Keith glancing up at him. 

“I’d.. Sir, I...”  
“Could you just...” 

Whatever Keith had said had become garbled as he hiccuped again. Shiro brushes his knuckles on his shirt. “I’m sorry pet, I must have missed that. What did you say?” 

Keith seemed to curl in again, shoulders hunching forward, as his sobs returned more forcefully. Shiro didn’t want to hurt him just yet, but Keith had started to lose his nerve. Striding forward and roughly grasping Keith’s bangs to tilt his head up and bring them face to face. He felt Keith gasp in his face, breathing ragged, covered in tear tracks and snot.  
He watched impassively as Keith’s throat worked, and shook him by the hair when he didn’t respond.  
“I’m waiting” 

“Could you pl-please b-beat me master” 

Keith was shaking, fresh tears leaking from red rimmed eyes. Shiro watched as Keith tried to lay himself bare with nothing but his expression. 

Keeping to character, Shiro snorted and let Keith drop to the floor.  
“Go collect my tools then pet.”


End file.
